The Mark
by PadawanMage
Summary: Willow-Spike season 4 ship-fic where Willow discovers an amusing aftereffect to getting Spike getting 'chipped' by the Initiative.


**Title:** The Mark 

**Rating:** G (humor)

**Spoilers**: Season Four, "The Initiative"

**Author's Notes:** I wrote this when I first really got into fanfiction and wanted to write a my first Willow/Spike fic, since I was a big shipper back then. This idea came to me just after seeing Spike get 'chipped' by the Initiative. Although I haven't been able to keep in contact with her, I just want to send out a thank you to Ruby, who's stories inspired me to write for the first time. Thank you, wherever you are. Also, there is a reference in this ficlet to a constellation called, 'The Great Poof'. This was used in one of Ruby's fics where Spike bets he can name all the constellations in the sky so as to get a date with Willow. 'The Great Poof' is named after Angel.

* * *

Willow was grateful for the break. It was towards the end of the semester, and she was smack dab in the middle of finals, which, combined with the usual demon-hunting patrols with Buffy, added up to a lot of stress. So, it wasn't with much surprise that she jumped at going out for a walk when Spike showed up and suggested so.

Hand in hand, they walked through the outskirts of campus. Vampire activity was, for the moment, at a lull but Willow still felt safe being in Spike's company. Whistling an off-key tune, he led them to the top of a hill overlooking the whole campus. They'd come up to a tree, and Willow was about to suggest heading back when she squealed in surprise as Spike pulled out a small picnic basket from behind the tree.

"A picnic, Spike?" she asked "At one o'clock in the morning?"

Spike cocked an eyebrow at her. "You'd rather we try this around noon so you can dine on ashes, luv?" Willow could only laugh and roll her eyes at Spike's pun. They set the small but modest spread under the moon. Although Willow hated to admit it, Spike had hit on a good idea. She quietly ate a small sandwich and drank some wine that Spike had brought, while he had his own meal (she didn't ask) and his ever-present cigarette. Afterwards, they sat, quietly watching the blinking lights of the campus and enjoying each other's company. Willow smiled coquetishly as Spike slid his arm around her shoulders.

What followed next was even better.

Many minutes worth of smooching later, they both laid in each other's arms, gazing up at the stars. Both said nothing, enjoying the companionable silence but after a few minutes, Willow started to chuckle softly.

"What's funny, pet?" Spike asked. Willow propped herself by her elbow and smiled down at him.

"You - Me - This," she gestured with a finger all around her. "A witch and a vampire making out." She glanced up and started to laugh. "Underneath the Great Poof!"

Spike looked up at the small constellation of stars that he'd insisted was called after his Nancy-boy sire. It had been a small bit of contention that led to them seeing each other.

Chuckling, he looked back up at her. "Who's better than us, ducks?"

Willow just smiled and shook her head. She had her hand on the back of his neck and was about to pull him for a kiss when she frowned.

"Spike? What's that?" Her fingers had brushed across a mark or bump of some sort on his scalp. Spike frowned and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh.That," he grumbled. "Some wanker in the Initiative thought he had a bloody sense of humor and had it painted it on right after I had the chip implanted."

"Why not get it removed?" she asked. Spike just shrugged.

"Never had the time, what with all the fuss with Adam and all. Besides," he looked her up and down. "I've been very preoccupied and distracted lately."

Willow blushed slightly. "Well," she said coyly. "Maybe I can 'preoccupy' and 'distract' you some more?"

"Oh, please do."

Willow pulled Spike down, her lips capturing his, each losing themselves in each other.

The small '**Intel Inside**' logo, printed on the back of Spike's head, completely forgotten.

~FIN~


End file.
